I have had the privilege of knowing God for as long as I can remember. When I was about 8 years old, I went to my first overnight camp, which was a scary thing for a homebody like myself. The nights were hard as I would try and close my eyes to rest. Wishing desperately to be back home in my bed close to my parents. My camp counselor wrote the words of Psalm 46:10-11 on a notecard and placed it above my bed. Little did I know that it would not only help me in those restless moments, but in much larger moments to come.
That same Jesus-loving homebody moved away to college some years later. I was excited and nervous about the new adventure. That first year away was marked by loss, hardships, anxiety, and isolation. I was discouraged and unsure of what to do. But for some reason, I never gave up on the words King David wrote in Psalm 46. No matter what was happening around me, I knew I was going to have to sit and be still with the Father. He was with me when, at times, it felt like no one else was.
The Lord not only carried me through that year. But redeemed and restored my heart. God gave me the courage to make bold changes. Because I was able to operate in the hope that He was my refuge, I moved out of my comfort zones (and colleges and out of the state of Texas). When I did this, I was met with a real, authentic community that I had never known. People who loved Jesus and, in turn, loved me, challenged me, and called me more into who God made me to be.